This was the second time I had woken up stiff and cold. At least I wasn't outside this time though. Now I was curled up at the feet of Teddy Lupin and he was looking at me in amusement.

'What?' I grumbled. This was way too early for my liking. I was supposed to follow a strict sleeping schedule! Waking up at three in the morning is not part of my plan! And then sleeping sitting up is just plain mean.

'Got a little lonely during the night?' Teddy smirked.

'No!' I protested. 'I woke up is all, and then I got cold, and then I decided to sit for awhile. I didn't think you'd mind all that much.'

Teddy's face softened. 'Awww, you're so adorable when you're unsure of yourself! Just a little kid you are Vic.'

'I resent that! I'm in a very emotional state right now! I'm tired and sleepy!'

'You know they mean the exact same thing?' He pointed out.

'Yeah, but I couldn't just say I was tired. I needed more to complain about.'

'So what time did you come down here then?'

'About three. What time did you fall asleep with a book on your face?' I smirked.

Teddy shrugged. 'It's a good book.'

'You read it practically everyday! How does it not get boring eventually?'

He shrugged again. 'It's a really good book. You've never read it Vic, you don't get it.'

'Just because I don't like Quidditch doesn't mean I've never read it.'

'You're a bit of a con, you know Vic.' He said. I gaped at him.

'You just insulted me in my own language!' I said indignantly. Teddy nodded the smirk back in place.

'You can't do that! That's, that's just-' I spluttered, trying to put his crime into words.

'That's not fair!'

'That's the best you could do? Unfair? Merlin Vic, that is really pathetic.'

I huffed and threw the blankets off my legs.

I looked at him, trying to speak, but all that came out was a guttural noise that sounded suspiciously like a growl.

He started laughing. Oh dear, sweet, Merlin, make the giggling stop. He sounds like Santa's elves all hopped up on candy canes.

So I did the only logical thing I could think of. Human instinct was telling me to make the piercing noise penetrating my eardrums to stop, so I jumped on him. And he shrieked.

I looked up at him, sitting on his lap. He had a sheepish look on his face. 'You done now?' I asked.

He nodded, and I took that opportunity to laugh at him.

'You shrieked-like a-like a- girl!' I managed to squeak out in between snickering. He scowled, and pushed me off the lounge, where I proceeded to roll around on the floor. He also threw the blankets off and stood up.

'I'm going to get breakfast.' I heard him say as he walked out of the room. I lay there laughing to myself for a moment, and then clambered up and followed.

I walked into the kitchen and was greeted Grandma and Grandpa. Teddy glowered at me from behind the kitchen bench where he was cooking toast.

'You finished?' he asked.

I chuckled a bit. 'Yeah, I think I'm done now.'

'What are you two talking about?' Grandpa asked looking up from the Daily Prophet.

'Teddy was just exploring his feminine side.' I smirked. He scowled.

Grandad rolled his eyes and went back to the paper.

I sat down at the table. 'Is anyone still here from last night?'

'No dear, it's just us four today! What are you kids thinking of doing? The weather's lovely, you could go for a swim at the lake.'

That's the thing about adults; they ask you a question, and then answer it themselves a millisecond later. Merlin, will they please wait and let me think?

I glanced at Teddy who shrugged. I smiled inwardly, knowing his thoughts were probably along the same line as mine.

'Actually, that's not a bad idea Grandma. Later on we might.'

I scarfed down my breakfast that Teddy had so thoughtfully made me (I can't cook. At all. In any way. Inherited from my mother, probably) and bolted back upstairs. I showered and got dressed, and, pulling my hair into a ponytail, ran out the back door. Teddy was waiting for me by the lake. I guess he was serious about the hanging out thing.

'So dear, what would you like to do today? Oh, I know! How about we go down to the village! Or swim! Or dance! Or even better, we could dress up like-'.

'Stop it!' I laughed, cutting off Teddy's exaggerated impression of Grandma. 'She's really nice! You can't impersonate an old person!'

'I think I just did.' He smirked. He really did have an infuriating smirk. So I did the only thing I could've done at that moment- I pushed him in the water.

'Hey!' Teddy spluttered once he had swum up to the surface.

I crouched down on the waters edge. 'Now, you're not ever going to do that again, are you?' He looked at me strangely for a moment. And then he grinned and grabbed my forearm. The next thing I knew I was soaking wet.

'You git! I like this top!'

'Yeah? Well I liked these pants!'

'But I'm a girl!'

'And?' I stared at him. We were both treading water, and my teeth were chattering.

'I think we should get out now.'

'Yeah, apparently Molly didn't anticipate how cold her lake was.'

We both hopped out and Teddy cast a drying spell on himself. I looked at him pleadingly and he cast one on me too.

'Teddy? It makes you feel important to call all the adults by their first name, doesn't it?'

Teddy looked as though he was about to protest, but then he nodded and grinned modestly. I laughed. 'You're so arrogant.'

'Yeah but you love it.' It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

'If you don't wipe that smirk off your face I will push you in again.'

'And I'll take you with me again.'

I shrugged, beaten, and then began to walk. Teddy trudged alongside me.

'So, where to? You know, in your ramblings, I think you actually had a good idea. Do you want to go down to the village?'

'You realise you just answered yourself? And yes, I'd like to.'

'No, I didn't, but thanks for the information. Alright, which way is it again?'

We went on like this all the way down to the small town just near the Burrow.

It was filled with muggles shopping and chatting outside numerous cafes and shops.

I blended in with the crowd in my muggle clothes, but Teddy gained a few weird looks. Probably because of his bright hair (purple today) and t-shirt with The Weird Sisters printed in bold on the front. There was a big picture of them underneath.

'You should really try to blend in you know Teddy.'

'Why bother? They just think I'm some weirdo who's lost his mind. You should probably take my arm; look as though you're leading me through the streets.'

He was completely serious. I sighed and took his arm.

As we walked down the street, Teddy mumbled to himself and talked very loudly to me about Quidditch, earning him even more strange looks.

I shushed him but he wouldn't stop, so all I could do was put my head down and hurry past people. Teddy quietened down at about midday, and so I decided it was safe to sit down for a minute and eat something.

Teddy had a bit of trouble with the muggle money, but I, having taking Muggle Studies, took care of it. He was fascinated with everything at the cafe and kept laughing out loud.

The stout lady who served us raised an eyebrow at me, and all I could do was shrug. Honestly, you can't take that boy anywhere.

--

We got back to the Burrow at about two, and immediately had Grandma fuss all over us while Grandpa tinkered about in his shed.

'So what do you want to do now?' Teddy asked me as we walked into the kitchen. I hopped up onto the bench and started to swing my legs, listening to the very satisfying THWACK as they hit the wooden cupboards.

I shrugged. 'Do you have any ideas?'

'Well, why not make it a muggle day? We could go to London, check out all the music stores and stuff?'

'I should probably get home soon, though; I don't want my dad to freak out.'

'Honestly Vic, you're such a dork.'

I huffed and jumped down. 'I hate you sometimes.'

'Awww c'mon, as if you mean that. I'm too cute to be hated. By anyone.'

'All the Slytherins hate you.' I pointed out as we walked back out the door.

'Well, besides them. Where are you going anyway?'

I stopped. 'I have no idea.'

'Yeah, well, you can't walk to London. I'll Apparate us.' He said this with a smug look on his face and an arm outstretched.

'Uh- maybe, we should just go another day.' I said, my voice sounding rather high.

'Why? Now's perfect. C'mon Vic, you're not afraid of Apparating, are you?'

I looked down at my shoes. Teddy scoffed.

'C'mere and give Teddy a hug.' He said, and pulled me into his arms. I squeezed my eyes shut and held my breath, waiting for the uncomfortable sensation to overtake me. But it didn't come. I looked up at Teddy. He was looking at me with concern.

'If you don't want to go, we don't have to.'

I sighed- this had pushed me over the edge. Damn Teddy and his compassion!

'Let's go.' I said, closing my eyes again and hugging him tightly. He was very comforting. I hate Apparation. It's horrible. The first time I ever did was with my dad, and I was just holding onto his arm. It was a horrible feeling, as though if I let go then I'd be lost. Since then I've preferred Floo.

I felt Teddy's arms give me a squeeze and then I was pushed through a very tight pipe. Well, at least, that's what it felt like. My head was spinning; I held on to him even tighter, and then suddenly, I was back on stable ground.

I probably would've fallen if Teddy wasn't holding me. He let go and we moved apart. We were in London, close to the Leaky Cauldron, but Teddy steered me right past there.

--

When I got home, I had to show my parents something. Something that my Mum heartily disapproved of and my Dad hugged me for after giving me a 'stern' look.

I don't know what Mums problem is.

There's nothing wrong with a tattoo. Sure it hurt a bit, but it's awesome! And it's all muggle. It's a small wolf, right on my shoulder blade. Teddy picked it out, but I loved it as soon as I saw it.

We spent the afternoon in shady music stores and muggle shops, me buying new clothes and parading around the stores.

Today was the most number of times I was looked at weirdly.

Before anyone asks, I did fall over. Twice. But that was because of the high heels!

Teddy insisted on buying me some CD's, which I'd never be able to use at Hogwarts, to give me 'culture'. And then before we left, Teddy decided that it was a great idea to get tattoos together.

The wolf was 'something to remember him by', and I made him get a tiger, my favourite muggle animal. I still stand by my statement that I should've gotten a teddy bear, but he insisted.

It was a really good day. I think it was worth the shrieking of my Mum. She gets even scarier than my Dad when she's angry.

So I've been sent to my room. It's alright; I won't be grounded for long. I'm going to Hogwarts the day after tomorrow. No parents, just us cousins.

Well, excluding about six of them who are too young to be at Hogwarts. It's my brother's first year. I'm glad he already knows Dobby so he won't be a complete loner.

Lu isn't so good at making friends. He's a sweet kid, always has been, but he is a little shy sometimes. Around us, he won't shut up.

'Vic? Dinner!' I heard Lu call from downstairs. I sighed heavily. Why was I getting sent to my room so much lately only to be called back down again?

'Can't you just bring it up here?' I yelled. A pause and then-

'VICTOIRE WEASLEY GET DOWN 'ERE THIS INSTANT!' And there we have my mother's French temper that she is ever so famous for.

Dinner past uneventfully, with my mother casting angry looks in my direction ever so often.

Dom smirked at me the fifth time this happened, and so I kicked her under the table. She, of course, milked it horribly and I was sent to my room again. That has really got to stop happening.

--

I packed my trunk enthusiastically the next day, only interrupted by Dom asking me to give back her top (which I did not have) and Lu creeping into my room at about lunchtime.

'Uh, Toire?' he asked, sitting down on my bed.

I stopped pulling out my clothes from my drawers for a moment and gave him a once over. 'What's wrong?'

He didn't answer and looked down at his hands. I sighed and sat down next to him.

'What's up Lu?'

'It's just-I'm a little nervous, and I'm not really sure if, well, you know.' I watched him struggle through his words with a slight smile on my face. He looked a little like me when I was going into first year, except for the whole being a boy thing. Dom had been so self assured I never had to have the talk with her.

'Lu, you nervous about going to Hogwarts?' I asked. He just nodded, not looking at me.

'It's alright, you know. Everyone's nervous before they go to school for the first time. But Hogwarts is great. It's so much fun.'

'How do, you know, get Sorted?' I smiled mischievously at him.

'Ah, well, I can't tell you that, I promised Dad, but don't worry, it isn't anything hard. It's easy. Everything'll be a bit new and scary at first, but you'll get used to Peeves and the staircases.'

He looked up at me with alarm. 'What?'

I laughed, and pulled him off the bed. 'Don't worry so much Lu. You'll love it, I promise. And I'll be there if you need me. So will Dom, and Teddy and James and- well, just everyone else. You have a million family members there, and you already know heaps of the teachers.'

'What's the best house?'

'Well, whatever one you get sorted into will be the best one for you.'

'But what if I get sorted into Slytherin?'

'Then I'll have to disown you.' I laughed at the stricken look on his face. 'I'm only joking. Whatever house you're in, it won't matter.'

'But-'

'Lu, shouldn't you be packing? Do you know how embarrassing it'll be if you forget something?'

He practically ran out the door and into his room. I chuckled to myself. Oh, kids these days.